The US has sent a small team of troops to Nigeria to enhance counter-terrorism collaboration, following airstrikes on Islamic State targets in December. General Dagvin Anderson, head of US Africa Command, stated that the deployment aims to support Nigerian forces in combating terrorist groups, particularly Boko Haram and ISWAP
The move comes after President Donald Trump accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from Islamist militants, prompting pressure for increased US involvement. However, the Nigerian government denies systematic persecution of Christians, citing efforts to target armed groups attacking both Christian and Muslim civilians
The US team is reportedly focused on intelligence gathering and enabling Nigerian forces to strike terrorist-affiliated groups. This development marks the first acknowledgment of US forces on the ground in Nigeria since the December airstrikes
